US 11,988,260 B2
Torque limiting mechanism for solar tracking systems
Nathan Schuknecht, Golden, CO (US); and Nikhil Kumar, Albuquerque, NM (US)
Assigned to ARRAY TECHNOLOGIES, INC., Albuquerque, NM (US)
Filed by Array Technologies, Inc., Albuquerque, NM (US)
Filed on May 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/322,869.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/365,318, filed on May 25, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2023/0383794 A1, Nov. 30, 2023
Int. Cl. H02S 20/23 (2014.01); F16D 7/02 (2006.01); F16M 13/02 (2006.01); H02S 20/32 (2014.01)
CPC F16D 7/021 (2013.01) [F16M 13/022 (2013.01); H02S 20/32 (2014.12)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A torque limiting mechanism in a solar tracking system comprising:
a drive motor configured to rotate a drive shaft;
at least one gear configured to translate rotation of the drive shaft into rotation of a photovoltaic (PV) module mounting structure; and
a torque limiter interposed between an interior surface of a first component of the at least one gear and an exterior surface of a second component of the at least one gear, wherein the torque limiter is a friction ring that is configured to allow the first component to slip relative to the second component when an amount of torque between the first and second components exceeds a threshold.